Monzento (Extra Large)

This is a large and heavy monzento.  Its a little redish colored, but still mostly brown.  It is a bit porous and soaks in a decent bit of water, but should still be used as a splash and go stone.  It, like the other monzento we carry, is a medium grit stone.  It's a medium hardness, but a bit softer than the other monzento we have in stock.  It develops mud very easily and leaves a nice kasumi finish with well defined and deep contrast. The color of the finish is really nice too. This is a great place to start if you're looking to have a very strong kasumi when you get to your finishing stone. It fits in the 1000-2000 grit range, so there will be a visible scratch pattern, but it's not harsh. The tactile feel was rather nice... there was slight resistance, but still smooth and creamy feeling. 
As an added pleasure, this stone releases a strong and pleasant fragrance when used. It's earthy, wet, and mineral-rich in the smell. This large monzento has the most intense smell of the new stones we just got it.
Natural stones from this region are rich in silica, which acts as a main abrasive. The potential finish can improve with extended sharpening, with results depending on the stone hardness, the pressure you use during sharpening, water, etc.
This stone should be used like a splash and go stone... add just enough water to lubricate the surface, but not too much. The goal is to develop mud, so keeping the surface very wet is prohibitive to mud development.